Appassionato (20 page)

Emma nodded. “Yeah. Samantha and Jonathan were really upset yesterday when I spoke to them.”

“You talked to them? Yesterday?” Portia asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“I think they left school early yesterday, too,” Portia said, frowning. “I don’t understand what’s going on.”

“I don’t know either, Portia. I think I’m going to call them at home, see if they’re okay.”

* * * *

A half hour later Emma rubbed her forehead, wishing she hadn’t called.

You couldn’t have known, honey
, Jake thought at her from her kitchen at home. She sighed, putting her face down on her desk. The cool surface helped her headache.

Listen to Jake, he’s right,
Duncan thought. Emma closed her eyes and watched him smear cream cheese over a bagel. She could clearly see him sitting in the sun in her kitchen as he and Jake ate breakfast. She wished she were back at home with them instead of sitting in her office, ignoring the class in the library.
Thank God Portia can handle the lesson
, she thought, then jumped when her office door slammed open.

“Ms. Bell!”

Emma looked up and winced as the sharply-dressed vice principal walked over to her. Ms. Brown seemed unusually abrasive today, the sharp angles of her face accenting her mood.

“What can I do for you, Cynthia?” Emma said tiredly, standing up. Behind the woman she saw Portia quietly ease the office door shut and she nodded her thanks. In the back of her mind she sensed Duncan and Jake finishing up in the kitchen.

“I want to know what you said to those students yesterday,” the vice principal said, her voice hard.

“What students?” Emma asked, playing dumb.
I’ll be damned if I’m going to roll over for you,
she thought at the woman. She wished the telepathy extended into non-bonded people, but no such luck.

You go, girl!
she felt Duncan send. Emma had to struggle not to laugh. She didn’t think the angry woman in front of her would appreciate the levity right now.

“Jonathan Carmetta and Samantha Woolsey,” Ms. Brown stated. She stared at Emma, her brown eyes hard and cold.

Emma wrinkled her brow, wondering why the woman was so worked up.
She knows something
, Jake thought. Emma sensed him getting in the car with Duncan.

Like what?
She sent back to him. She felt him shrug.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Emma said to the woman, confused. She wasn’t going to tell Ms. Brown about giving out her phone number to the students. She didn’t think she would approve. Emma had a hard time convincing her about bonding when the students first came down with symptoms. Ms. Brown had argued that Jonathan and Samantha should be separated at all times, citing morality issues. Emma knew the vice principal was extremely conservative, but she never expected the Ms. Brown’s beliefs to translate into cruelty. Emma could still remember the look of anguish on the kids’ faces as the woman spoke.

“Don’t play dumb with me,” Ms. Brown hissed. Emma’s eyes widened as the woman stepped closer. “You’re the teacher that encouraged their bond. I haven’t forgotten your part in allowing it to happen.”

Emma stopped temporizing. There was no way she was going to let this woman walk all over her. Not about this. “Ms. Brown, Samantha and Jonathan were bonded. Are bonded. Separating them would only have caused them more pain. I don’t know what you’re insinuating, but the truth is that those students needed to be near each other. If we hadn’t convinced their parents to let them stay together, both of them would have gone into shock that first night. Haven’t you seen the reports about bonding?” Emma straightened her shoulders. “It’s permanent. The scientists don’t know why this is happening or how, but that doesn’t change the reality.” Emma felt Duncan and Jake in the back of her thoughts, sending her strength and she inhaled, trying to calm herself down. She wasn’t going to let Ms. Brown intimidate her.

“It’s immoral! The violation of the mind, the sanctity of thought, it goes against everything human,” Ms. Brown stated as though Emma hadn’t spoken. “Just because we had to allow it doesn’t mean it was right. Someone needs to put a stop to such things.”

“What were you going to do?” Emma asked, eyeing the vice principal nervously. She didn’t like the look in her eye. “They would have run away together if we’d kept them apart.” Ms. Brown crowded closer and Emma stepped back, not sure if standing up to her was worth getting into a physical altercation. What the hell was the woman doing? She reached up to rub her forehead again, and quick as a viper the vice principal grabbed her arm and shoved up the sleeve of Emma’s sweater.

“What’s this?” the woman asked venomously. Emma yanked her arm away, but her sleeve didn’t fall down. She looked at her skin where the woman’s tight grip had pressed in, marking the bonding tattoo with red. It hurt and she could feel Duncan and Jake’s outrage through their link. She opened her mouth to explain, but before she could speak, the door burst open again.

“What are you doing in here, Cynthia?” Mr. Williams asked. The principal looked angry and Emma shut her mouth. She didn’t pull her sleeve back down.
Screw it, I’m done hiding this
, she thought. She could feel Jake cheering her.

“She’s one of them!” Ms. Brown pointed at Emma. “She has one of the bonding tattoos!” She grabbed Emma’s arm again, her grip tight. Emma wanted to pull away, then she saw the students from her class looking in through the door and she let the woman pull her over to Mr. Williams. She didn’t want them to see her getting violent with one of the school’s administrators.

“Let go of my arm.” Emma glared at the vice principal. The woman ignored her and dragged her over to the door.
Great
, Emma thought.
Let’s just do this where everyone can see
. The students were no longer paying attention to Portia because the aide was watching to see what was happening too.
She looks shocked
, Emma thought, looking at her longtime aide. Portia glanced down at Emma’s arm, then grimaced as if disgusted.
Figures
, Emma thought. She’d hoped the older woman would be supportive, but she wasn’t surprised by her response. The town she lived in was very conservative. She wished Julia hadn’t called in sick today, then reconsidered. She wouldn’t want her friend getting in trouble and she knew Julia would be right here, standing up for Emma.

“I’m bonded.” Emma yanked her arm back. No point in hiding it anymore. She pushed up her other sleeve so that everyone could see both tattoos. “I’m bonded to two people. That’s how I know how painful it can be if you try to separate someone in the initial stages. That’s why I encouraged Samantha and Jonathan’s parents to let them stay together.” Emma looked defiantly into the library. “I’m bonded, and I’m grateful for it.”

Ms. Brown’s face whitened and Portia gasped. Emma looked at the principal and while he didn’t seem disgusted, he did look disappointed. Emma knew the exact moment that Ms. Brown realized what being bonded to two people meant.
That’s right
, Emma thought spitefully.
All three of us go to bed together.

“Two people? That’s disgusting!” Ms. Brown spit at Emma, her horror taking over. Emma jumped back, shocked.

Bitch
, she heard Jake say in her head, then the outer doors to the library opened and he was there, Duncan right behind him. Emma stared at the men in surprise. She knew they were close but in all the commotion she didn’t realize they were in the school. A few students turned to see who had come in and as soon as the girls set eyes on Duncan, they freaked. Emma winced at the noise, then stepped around Ms. Brown and into the library, hoping to keep the students calm.

“Duncan, Jake, what are you doing here?” Emma walked toward them, hoping the girls in the class would stay put at their desks. No such luck. She had to wade through kids to get to her men.

“We could tell you needed us.” Jake reached out to take her hand.

“So here we are,” Duncan said, cupping her neck and rubbing the tension away. Emma relaxed, savoring their touch even in the midst of this insanity, then she turned back to the students. Some of the girls in the class were clustered around the three of them, whispering to each other and trying to get closer.

“Girls, you’re supposed to be in your seats,” Emma admonished them, gesturing to the desks.

“But, Ms. Bell! It’s Duncan Green,” one of them said, her voice high and excited.

Emma smiled. “I know.” She really couldn’t blame them. It wasn’t every day that a world-famous superstar appeared out of nowhere to visit their class. Duncan smiled at them fondly.

I like my fans
, he thought at Emma.

“Are those bonding marks?” another girl asked, pointing to Emma’s arms. Emma looked at Jake and he shrugged.

“Yes. I’m bonded to Jake and Duncan.” Emma pushed her sleeves up so that everyone could see the tattoos. The girls gathered closer and Emma held out her arms. Duncan released her neck and held his arm out so that they could touch him. Several of the girls squealed again, to Emma’s dismay, but Duncan just laughed.

“I’m really lucky. I bonded to Emma and Jake.” Duncan traced a finger over one of his tattoos.

“Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it!” one of the girls shrieked. “That means that you and Jake—” she broke off, looking from one man to the other. There was a buzz of excitement as the students realized exactly what that meant. Emma willed herself not to blush as an entire class of high school students suddenly learned all about her sex life.
Shit
.

Jake nodded and slung an arm around Duncan. “Yup.” He smiled and the girls went crazy again.

Good lord
, Emma thought faintly as the noise level increased.
I’m going to go deaf.
More students got up to see the tattoos, crowding close, then Emma spied Ms. Brown moving toward them, a thunderous expression on her face.

“That’s enough!” the vice principal stated, her voice sharp. “Sit down, all of you!” The girls looked at her, then back at Duncan.

Duncan smiled and waved them to their desks. “We’ll be doing an interview about it soon, don’t worry. Go sit down.” They looked at him uncertainly, then Ms. Brown clapped her hands. Everyone flinched.

“You will leave the school immediately, Emma.” Ms. Brown pointed at her, hand shaking with anger. Close behind, Emma could see the disapproving expression on Mr. Williams’ face.

I guess it was too much to hope that they’d be understanding
, Emma thought. Jake sighed, catching her thought. He let go of Duncan and pulled her into a hug. Duncan stood there, expression closed, glaring at the administrators.
She didn’t even have the courtesy to use my last name
, Emma thought, pissed.

Duncan turned to look at her and smiled briefly.
It’s a sign of disrespect. She knows exactly what she’s doing.

Emma nodded at him, then pulled away from Jake. The students were quiet now, watching the confrontation. “What happened to Jonathan and Samantha?” Emma wanted to see what Ms. Brown would say.

“They’re missing, which doesn’t surprise me a bit,” Ms. Brown answered, forgetting about the kids who could hear every word. “Bonding is unnatural.”

“I saw them yesterday. How could they be missing?” Emma asked, ignoring the woman’s nasty words.

“Their parents called this morning. Apparently the two of them ran away together,” Ms. Brown said. Emma turned away, a dull horror working its way into her heart. She could tell the woman didn’t care about the kids. It was enough that the two students were gone and no longer a problem. She moved toward her office, but Ms. Brown blocked the way.

“I need to get my stuff.” Emma stared at the vice principal. The other woman didn’t budge.

“Ms. Brown, let Ms. Bell gather her things,” Mr. Williams said. Emma snorted when the woman moved just enough to let Emma pass her if she squeezed against the circulation desk. Jake went with her into the office while Duncan stood just outside, keeping the two administrators from following.

“Wow, that woman is nasty,” Jake said, walking to Emma’s desk. She smiled as he opened her drawer and pulled out her bag, knowing exactly where she kept everything because of the bond. Then she glanced back into the library and saw the students sitting dejectedly at the desks, Ms. Brown looming over them. Duncan stood in the doorway with his arms crossed. His anger whipped at the edges of her mind.

“Yeah. She’s always been unpleasant, but this was the worst I’ve ever seen her.”

The prejudices people carry around with them can make them crazy
, Duncan thought.